Things are so so good friends

I can´t believe how amazing this trip has been. The road trip to NY included so many memorable things, most notably rocking out to Madonna´s Immaculate Collection and the Snakes On a Plane theme song. Thanks to Scott "the mac-daddy" Meyer, we had a freakishly nice stay in Manhattan. Big thanks forever to JessM and Liz for being the best of traveling companions.

Here in Deutschland we´ve been staying with my long lost pal Lauren and our new pal Benji the fussballer. They have shown us a great time in Dusseldorf, Cologne and Holland so far. We eat Brotchen all the time, and people love ice cream here. It is heavenly. I have found my people.
We climbed 509 swirly steps yesterday to the top of the Dom in Cologne. It was miserable but worth it. Also, we went out in Dusseldorf last night and are still resting from all the fun and pain.
The night began as we sat on a boat on the Rhein, sipping cocktails and enjoying the sunset. Then the boat rocks and a torrent of rain water fell from the umbrella we sat under, fully soaking me - and me only. The other people on the boat were horrified and hysterical. With wet hair and shirt and jacket and pants and all, the bartender offered me a hair dryer from the depths of the boat, but I refused. Instead he brought a pile of napkins and insisted that Lauren pat me down gently. To make up for it (and because we quickly became pals with the Greek and Syrian crew), the bar tender brought us a round of nasty double shots - he called it something fancy, but we suspect it was simply Jager. Anyway, this was very bad and we were all soon sehr betrunken, wandering through the pubs of Dusseldorf and making more pals - like an English clarinet player who invited me to join the jazz band next time I´m in town.

Things like this don't happen in real life. only. in. my. dreams!

Yesterday was one of the best days - oh - ever. After a brief phone call with the best advisor - oh - ever, I am done at OU officially!! Remember that 30-page paper standing between me and freedom? Poof! Not fake finished like before, but a completed DARS, for real. Next challenge: getting a real degree - eat my dust academic bureaucracy!